Cenovus supports students at Memorial University
A new $250,000 investment in Newfoundland’s Memorial University will help more students see themselves in post-secondary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs and help them succeed in those programs when they get there. Through a variety of initiatives, our investment will support student recruitment, retention, and success.
"We recognize the importance of investing in the communities where we operate and creating a pipeline of talent for our operations,” says James Carter, Director of Atlantic Region Developments. “In conversations with our own internal teams and the university, we saw a need to help more people see themselves in STEM programs, to encourage them to pursue post-secondary and to support them while they’re trying to complete those programs.”
This inclusion-focused investment will target students in the Faculties of Science and Engineering and Applied Science, along with some of the campus services that support vulnerable students. Specifically, we are contributing:
- $60,000 to the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science for bursaries and teaching assistants
- $50,000 to Dr. Svetlana Barkanova, a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Chair in Inclusion in Science and Engineering (Atlantic)
- $50,000 to the Department of Earth Sciences for student bursaries
- $50,000 to the Student Design Hub, a collaborative design space for engineering students
- $10,000 each to the Glenn Roy Blundon Centre, a resource centre for students with disabilities; Campus Food Bank; International Student Office; and the Indigenous Student Resource Centre.
“We will contribute to diversifying the pool of students through Dr. Barkanova’s community outreach work aimed at junior high and high school students,” said Carter. “At the university level, we see enrolments in our key feeder programs are declining and the cost-of-living challenges mean some students are working multiple jobs on top of their full courseloads. We chose to invest in bursaries, which are awarded based on financial need, and teaching assistant positions to alleviate some of the stress these students face so they can focus more time on their studies.”
“I have the best job in the universe, sharing my love of physics,” says Dr. Barkanova, whose work is primarily focused on encouraging girls, Indigenous students, and youth in rural communities to pursue careers in science and engineering. “This funding from Cenovus and their networks will allow me to do just that, starting with bringing physics to rural classrooms. Physics is fun – my goal is to bring that message to students across the province.”
Read more about Dr. Barkanova here.
LAST UPDATED: MAY 2024